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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I.—U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse has held a hearing in Rhode Island on ways to crack down on health care fraud, particularly in Medicare and Medicaid.

State and federal law enforcement officials and local health professionals were among those who testified at the Senate subcommittee field hearing in East Providence.

Panel chairman Whitehouse says rising costs, fraud and abuse threaten to undermine the health care programs for the poor and the elderly.

State Attorney General Peter Kilmartin says $1.2 million was recovered in Rhode Island in 2011 through fraud investigation and prosecution, with more cases under investigation.

Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Peter Nehrona (Nuh-ROH'-nuh) says every dollar stolen from the programs is one dollar too many. He says the Justice Department has made the fight against health care fraud a priority.